The present invention relates generally to the field of helmet mounted optical systems, and more particularly to a novel direct view, helmet mounted telescope for providing a substantially increased range of direct view for the wearer.
In the operation of modern high performance aircraft, the pilot, navigator and other crew members are required to maintain control over numerous systems of the aircraft and to continuously visually acquire substantial amounts of information from those systems for efficient operation of the aircraft. In combat situations the crew members must additionally divide their attention between visual acquisition and identification of mission targets and the visual facets of normal aircraft control. It is therefore highly desirable that the crew members be able to telescopically acquire and identify a target, or otherwise maintain an enhanced telescopic range of view with minimum changes of line of sight.
The present invention provides an improved helmet, having particular utility to an aircarft pilot, navigator, or other crew member, including a helmet mounted telescope for substantially increased range of direct view for the wearer to provide improved visual target acquisition and identification capability. The present invention includes a small retractable telescope of about 3.times. to 4.times. power which is mounted via a rotatable mounting on one end of a two-part hinged boom; the boom is pivotally attached at its other end to the side of a standard helmet. The boom may take the form of a modified microphone mount. The two parts of the boom are hingedly connected to permit folding whereby the telescope may easily be moved into an extended operative position in front of the wearer's eye or to a folded stored position alongside the helmet inside the limits defined by an ejection envelope for the wearer.
It is, therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved helmet, having particular utility by aircraft pilots, navigators or other crew members.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved helmet including a retractable telescope to display a telescopic image of an acquired field of view to the wearer.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a helmet whereby the wearer has substantially hands-off telescopic vision capability.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent as the detailed description of certain representative embodiments thereof proceeds.